What is the official name of the country commonly called Bolivia?

The official name of Bolivia is the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

Bolivia adopted this official name in its 2009 Constitution. The change reflects the constitution’s recognition of the country as a state made up of multiple nations and peoples, including Indigenous nations and communities with distinct identities, languages, institutions, and histories.

The constitution also recognizes Spanish and numerous Indigenous languages as official languages. It describes Bolivia as a unitary, plurinational, and decentralized state with autonomies. The new name therefore carries a political and constitutional meaning rather than being a simple change of wording.

Bolivia was previously officially known as the Republic of Bolivia. The country itself is named after Simón Bolívar, the independence leader who played a central role in the liberation of northern South America. Bolivia’s constitutional capital is Sucre, while La Paz is the seat of government.